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Promoted to Glory
Mrs. Brigadier Emma Irby was promoted to Glory on May 25.
Emma Ruth Johnson was born in Hayward, California on January 9, 1927. When Emma was nine, she and her mother began attending The Salvation Army.
After graduating from high school she entered The Salvation Army School for Officer Training from the Hayward Corps and was commissioned as a part of the Fearless Session in 1945.
Her first appointment was as the assistant at the Fillmore Corps in San Francisco; her single officership lasted three months. While Captain Clenton Irby was stationed in Hayward, he fell in love with Emma Johnson. The Irbys were married in August 1945 at the Oakland Citadel Corps and began their long officer career together.
They served as corps officers in Sheridan, Wyo.; Fort Collins, Colo.; Ogden, Utah; Billings and Butte, Mont.; and Walla Walla, Wash. Assignments thereafter were in the Northwest, Cascade and ARC commands. A significant part of the Irbys’ ministry was spent in assisting the homeless, those in correctional facilities and those recovering from addictions.
Brigadier Emma Irby received Certificates of Achievement in Public Relations, Sales and Service and Accounting from the University of Utah and Santa Barbara City College.
They retired in January 1981 to San Jacinto, California. Clenton preceded Emma to Heaven in 1999.
The memorial service was held at The Salvation Army Torrance Corps with Major Don Gilger, corps officer, officiating. The committal service took place at the San Jacinto Valley Cemetery.
Emma leaves behind one daughter, Lt. Colonel Carolyn Peacock, and three sons, Clenton, Stephen and Clefton, along with ten grandchildren: Jason, Cory, Alex, Cristin, Kolt, Ike, Ian, Isaiah, Hayden, and Ilias.
Expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family in care of Lt. Col. Carolyn Peacock at 29516 Bernice Dr., Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275.
Lifelong Salvationist Thomas Waterfield, father of Major Donna Ames, was promoted to Glory on April 22, 2003.
Tom was born Oct. 2, 1918 in Warrington, England. He began attending the Army as a child and loved Army music. During WWII, he served in the British Royal Air Force.
In 1953, Tommy brought his family to Kalamazoo, Mich., joining other families from the British Isles who had been sponsored by the local corps. Eventually the family settled in California where they soldiered at the Inglewood and then the Torrance Corps. In 1988, Tommy and his wife, Ivy, retired to Lompoc, Calif.
He leaves behind his wife of 60 years, Ivy; his brother, Eric; three daughters, Valerie Tholl, Norma Kelley and Major Donna Ames; son Derek; four grandchildren and one great-grandson.
A memorial service was held at the Torrance Corps.
Condolences may be sent to Major Donna Ames at 3 Crestmont Lane, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275. Donations may be made in Tommy’s memory to The Salvation Army Southern California Youth Band.
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